Cons

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Our review

The Concord Transformer T is a large, but comfortable, Group 2/3 car seat. It offers considerable, easy-to-use adjustable side and head protection as well as sensible fitting mechanisms.

There’s a new buzz about the German Concord car seat range after its two Group 2/3 models won multipleawards in 2010. In addition, one of these - the Concord Transformer T - was test winner in the prestigious 2010 Eurotest awards. So what’s all the fuss about?

The Concord Transformer T is a Group 2/3 car seat priced at £169. Slighter cheaper than its sibling, the Transformer XT, the Transformer T still packs a wealth of features that sets it apart from many other car seats in this category.

The Concord Transformer T is large, high-backed with a padded headrest and has squishy, wide side protection that sits within double-walled safety shells. The back is permanently attached to the base. It’s installed in your car using two special ISOFIX compatible clips that neatly extend and retract using a button and strap in the front of the seat to ensure a tight fit. Your child is then held in place by the car’s 3-point seatbelt, which feeds through a slot that opens and closes at the touch of a button.

If you don’t have ISOFIX, you can also use the seat with just the car’s own seatbelt. There are red markers at the shoulder and under the armrests to guide your seatbelt – indeed, Eurotest strongly commended its ease of use.

The Concord Transformer T has a removable, washable ‘TRIZONE’ cover designed to be comfortable, breathable and hardwearing. It comes in five different colourways – Bamboo, Granite, Chilli, Lava and Deep Ocean.

What we love

Lucy, 4, was immediately taken with the shape and design of the Concord Transformer T car seat. She said she felt very protected and comfortable in it. She liked the armrests, the big side wings as well as the colourway we tested (Bamboo).

I found this seat incredibly easy to fit and despite having had ISOFIX for over four years, this was the first time I’d used a seat that was compatible. I was immediately struck by the sense of security. I also liked the push-button size adjustor, which was very intuitive.

With some car seats, I find that your child’s seatbelt can become twisted in the ‘s’ shaped seat belt feeder. I’ve never had this problem with the Transformer T – the button-operated opening and closing catch means there’s nothing to get tangled up in.

What to watch out for

There’s no escaping that this is a large car seat – rather like a small armchair in fact! It’s not the type of spare seat you keep in the boot for occasional lifts home. It also weighs 7.5kg, which although somewhat less than the XT, makes it a bit of a struggle between cars.

There’s no recline function on the Concord Transformer T (this functionality usually takes you up another price bracket in Group 2/3 car seats). But despite this Lucy has always slept well in it.

Do check the Concord website before you buy one as it will not fit all car models.

This seat is suitable for up to 12 years old, but your near-teen may well want just a booster cushion by that age. Since you can’t detach the back of the Transformer T, you’ll have to buy a different model if you want to head down the booster route.

Who is the Concord Transformer T car seat best for?

Parents with the space and money to spend that bit more on an option boasting comfort and high praise.

MadeForMums verdict

It’s easy to see why the Concord Transformer T car seat has done so well in recent awards. It’s comfortable, stylish and easy to fit and use. Whilst a tad on the large side, it’s a price worth paying for the additional functionality. Just make sure your car model is compatible before you buy.